MINISTERS were today facing growing pressure for a full public inquiry into allegations of child sex abuse at the heart of Westminster three decades ago.

A dossier about suspected crimes - thought to include allegations against Cyril Smith - were lost [GETTY]

More than 132 MPs yesterday backed a campaign for a Hillsborough-style investigation into the alleged failure of Whitehall officials and the police to act on tip-offs about paedophile activity.

It followed widespread fury that a dossier about suspected crimes - understood to include allegations against serial child abusers Jimmy Savile and former Liberal MP Cyril Smith - was lost by the Home Office.

Tory MP Zak Goldsmith, one of the organisers of the campaign for a public inquiry, said the pressure was becoming "irresistible."

"It does make sense to have all these different inquiries brought together because it is clear there has been an underlying problem," Mr Goldsmith said.

"I'm sure there are practical reasons to refuse but demand is now so huge it is irresistible."

Despite the pressure, Nick Clegg ruled out a public inquiry.

Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the Deputy Prime Minister said: "I just want the truth to come out and justice to be done.

"When we're dealing with allegations of such a serious criminal nature, I don't think there's any surrogate, really, for allowing the police to get to the bottom of what happened."

He added: "I want to see the police getting to the bottom of what's alleged to have happened, which is absolutely horrific in some children's homes up and down the country.

"A number of police inquiries are already going on.

"I really would say to anybody who has any evidence, knowledge or information about what happened of a criminal nature, please get in touch with the police.

"They're the people who can do the job so that justice can finally be done and these very, very serious allegations can be looked into."

Downing Street also rejected calls for an inquiry.

Nick Clegg has ruled out a public inquiry [GETTY]

I really would say to anybody who has any evidence, knowledge or information about what happened of a criminal nature, please get in touch with the police

Nick Clegg

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "If there are allegations, evidence of wrongdoing, that people have, then of course they should bring that to the attention of the relevant authorities, including the police of course."

Yesterday it emerged that the MP who initially raised the concerns was burgled twice around the time he handed the dossier to a Cabinet minister.

The late Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens gave a bundle of papers containing the allegations to Home Secretary Leon Brittan in the mid-1980s.

His son Barry Dickens said: "Now we know my father was right.

"He was right about Cyril Smith and he was right about Jimmy Savile, who I believe were both named in the dossier."

He added: "My parents had two burglaries at the time close to it without anything being taken, which seemed a very professional job the way they were carried out, so again a bit of suspicion there but who knows. All very strange."

Earlier this week, former Home Secretary Lord Brittan confirmed that he did receive the dossier from Mr Dickens.

He said the allegations were passed onto Whitehall officials and the police.

But no further action was taken, and the Home Office has confirmed that the dossier was "not retained."

Labour shadow crime and security minister Diane Johnson said: "The Home Office and Home Secretary's reaction to allegations of incompetence in dealing with allegations of child sex abuse has been lamentable.

"Serious questions about how these allegations were handled remain and a review carried in haste by two officials does not reflect the seriousness of the issues at hand.

"At the very least the Government must explain what action was taken in the 1980s and what files were destroyed.

"A proper investigation is needed into these allegations, into what happened, and also into how the Government of the day and others responded.

"In addition to this investigation, it is also clear that we need an over-arching review - led by experts - to bring together the findings of all these inquiries and look at child protection for the future."